The Apple Orchard

The orchard master planted an apple orchard.

He was wise. He planted one of each type of apple. No two alike. Some were planted for the sweet fruit, some for the long lasting storage apples, some for the beautiful flowers, some for the shape of the tree, some for early fruit production and some for the prolific ability to produce much fruit.

Each tree was different. When they were just saplings they were all young and vigorous. They looked pretty much the same. But at time went by they began to do what the DNA they were imbued with caused them to do.

Some apple trees compared themselves to others, some felt they weren't as beautiful as others. Some less fruitful.

No matter how much the orchard master pruned and trimmed and consoled those trees that felt inferior he could do no more than say, "You mustn't repent of what I created you to be".

As time went on in the orchard many crops were produced. From those crops new seedlings were produced and planted in other parts of the orchard. From time to time early there were trees that were injured or damaged by disease or pests. Some died and were removed.

As the orchard became more mature the space between trees was becoming greater. The fact was that as time went on there were only a few trees left.

Then one day in this part of the orchard there was only one left. All alone. Old, cracked by wind and ice storms, rotting from the injury it finally gave up the fight.

The orchard master sadly cut down the old tree. The roots were grubbed out and soon new plants were planted in the place where the old trees had been.

Being the last tree in the orchard was a lonely place. It was almost a blessing to be taken eventually to join the others long since fallen before.

The orchard master smiled as he planted the last of the seedlings produced from the appleseeds of the old trees. Old things forgotten. New things begun.

Such is the cycle of life. Some of us become the few old trees left in the orchard. It's lonely but there is a time to live and a time to die. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

But they bore beautiful fruit. They were the best apple trees they could be.

And the orchard master smiled.